President Zuma will update the nation, through Parliament, on the global economic challenges and potential growth of the South African economy; Government efforts at satisfying the concerns expressed by sovereign ratings agencies; South Africa’s participation in global institutions such as the G20 and BRICS; fees for University and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students for 2017; the closure of the accounts of Oakbay Investments (Pty) and the release of the Public Protector’s State of Capture report.
The President will reply to the following questions:
19. Prof C T Msimang (IFP) to ask the President of the Republic:
With reference to the registration of university students in 2017, (a) has the Government reached consensus with students on whether there must be no tuition fees or that there shall be no increases in tuition fees and (b) what is the Government’s position and response to the demand that there must be no tuition fees, that is fees must fall?
20. Mr B H Holomisa (UDM) to ask the President of the Republic:
Whether, with reference to the reply of the Minister of Mineral Resources to an urgent oral question 205 on 7 September 2016, he has applied his mind to the proposal of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, which was chaired by the Minister, to look into the closure of the accounts of Oakbay Investments (Pty) Ltd by major banks; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what has been his decision in this regard?
21. Mr B A Radebe (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:
In light of the implications of taking political decisions on matters that have economic consequences as witnessed with the Brexit decision which is a global phenomenon and that we have little control over countries that engage in this kind of political decision-making that has economic consequences, what, therefore, will the nature of our economic diplomacy be over the next decade?
22. Mr S N Swart (ACDP) to ask the President of the Republic:
Whether he has found that sufficient steps have been taken by the Government to satisfy the concerns expressed by sovereign ratings agencies earlier in 2016 in order to avoid a sovereign ratings downgrade in their next review?
23. Ms E M Coleman (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:
How does the Government characterise its strategy going forward in the diplomatic, trade and security arenas, with reference to the annual South African Heads of Mission Conference that was held in October 2016, where the matter of geopolitical developments and their impact on the Republic’s diplomatic, trade and security status was discussed, and in view of the observation by the World Economic Forum that South Africa has shown progress in 10 of the 12 indicators measured in respect of global competitiveness, the country nevertheless faces an unstable geopolitical global environment?
24. The Leader of the Opposition (DA) to ask the President of the Republic:
Whether he and/or his legal team instructed (a) the Minister of Mineral Resources, Mr M J Zwane and/or (b) the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr D D D van Rooyen, to lodge applications to interdict the release of the Public Protector’s report, entitled State of Capture, due to the specified persons’ alleged relationships with the Gupta family; if not, in each case, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the reasons in each case?
The session will complete the President’s cycle of questions in Parliament for 2016, after he appeared in the National Council of Provinces for Oral Replies on 25 October 2016.
Source: Government of South Africa